Contact: Tyler Friel, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, 630-637-5302

Game one box score
Game two box score

April 7, 2017 – Facing one of their toughest non-conference opponents this season after being postponed a day, the North Central College softball team was defeated in a two game series, losing 5-3 in the afternoon game followed by a 3-2 loss in the nightcap Friday evening at Shanower Family Field.

Jenna Trojniar gave the Cardinals the early lead in game one, with a crushed solo homerun to left field in the first inning. North Central would hold the lead until the fourth as the Spartans used three hits to knot the score at one. Aurora then scored twice in the sixth to break the tie, using four hits and a Cardinal error to take a 3-1 advantage. The Spartans once again made the most of the Cardinals mistakes, using two errors and two hits to add two more runs in the seventh.

The Cardinals would not go down without a fight as they narrowed the deficit to two as Brooke Kehoe launched a two run shot to left field to score Taylor Clugston but that would not be enough as the hosts fell 5-3 in the first game.

Trojniar woulr be the only Cardinal with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 from the plate. The Spartans outhit North Central 12-7 while committing one error to the Cardinals three.
Sarah Esposito (4-2) received the loss after allowing three earned runs on 12 hits while striking out two and walking one. Aurora starter Britni Wilson received her seventh victory of the season.

In game two, the Spartans would jump out to the early lead, pushing one across in the first after a Cardinal error and two more in the second. The Cardinals (12-9) got on the board in their half of the second with a RBI-double from North Central hurler Jessica Weaver to plate Anna Seffernick. North Central would score again in the fifth as Samantha Phelps came to bat with runners on second and third and only one out. Phelps would do her job with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Clugston but a bullet from the Spartan center fielder beat Trojniar trying to advance to third. The Cards bats would go quietly the rest of the way as the Spartans held on for the 3-2 victory.

Weaver (5-4) allowed two earned runs on nine hits in the loss, striking out one and walking one. Kaylee Hayton would receive the win for Aurora.

Of the seven hits from the Cardinals, only Clugston tallied multiple hits going 2-for-4 while scoring once.

The Cardinals travel to Millikin University to resume conference play on Saturday, April 8 with game time scheduled for 1 and 3 p.m. Live stats can be found HERE.